登陆注册
5391500000024

第24章

IT was plain that Raines-to quiet the old man's uneasiness,perhaps-had told him of his last meeting with Clayton,and that,during the absence of the latter,some arrangements for the wedding had been made,even by Easter,who in her trusting innocence had perhaps never thought of any other end to their relations.In consequence,there was an unprecedented stir among the mountaineers.The marriage of a citizen with a "furriner "was an unprecedented event,and the old mountaineer,who began to take some pride in the alliance,emphasized it at every opportunity.

At the mines Clayton's constant visits to the mountain were known to everybody,but little attention had been paid to them.

Now,however,when the rumor of the wedding seemed confirmed by his return and his silence,every one was alert with a curiosity so frankly shown that he soon became eager to get away from the mountains.Accordingly,he made known his wish to Easter's parents that the marriage should take place as soon as possible.

Both received the suggestion with silent assent.Then had followed many difficulties.Only as a great concession to the ideas and customs of "fur-riners"would the self-willed old mountaineer agree that the ceremony should take place at night,and that after the supper and the dance,the two should leave Jellico at daybreak.

Mountain marriages were solemnized in the daytime,and wedding journeys were unknown.The old man did not understand why Clayton should wish to leave the mountains,and the haste of the latter seemed to give him great offence.When Clayton had ventured to suggest,instead,that the marriage should be quiet,and that he and Easter should remain on the mountain a few days before leaving,he fumed with anger;and thereafter any suggestion from the young engineer was met with a suspicion that looked ominous.Raines was away on his circuit,and would not return until just before the wedding,so that from him Clayton could get no help.

Very wisely,then,he interfered no more,but awaited the day with dread.

It was nearing dusk when he left the camp on his wedding-night.

Half-way up the mountain he stopped to lean against the kindly breast of a bowlder blocking the path.It was the spot where he had seen Easter for the first time.The mountains were green again,as they were then,but the scene seemed sadly changed.The sun was gone;the evening-star had swung its white light like a censer above Devil's Den;the clouds were moving swiftly through the darkening air,like a frightened flock seeking a fold;and the night was closing fast over the cluster of faint camp-fires.The spirit brooding over mountain and sky was unspeakably sad,and with a sharp pain at his heart Clayton turned from it and hurried on.Mountain,sky,and valley were soon lost in the night.When he reached the cabin rays of bright light were flashing from chink and crevice into the darkness,and from the kitchen came the sounds of busy preparation.Already many guests had arrived.A group of men who stood lazily talking in the porch became silent as he approached,but,recognizing none of them,he entered the cabin.Adozen women were seated about the room,and instantly their eyes were glued upon him.As the kitchen door swung open he saw Easter's mother bending over the fireplace,a table already heavily laden,and several women bustling about it.Above his head he heard laughter,a hurried tramping of feet,and occasional cries of surprise and delight.He paused at the threshold,hardly knowing what to do,and when he turned a titter from one corner showed that his embarrassment was seen.On the porch he was seized by Easter's father,who drew him back into the room.The old mountaineer's face was flushed,and he had been drinking heavily.

Oh,hyar ye air!"he exclaimed."You're right on hand,hain't ye?

Hyar,Bill,"he called,thrusting his head out of the door,"you "n'Jim 'n'Milt come in hyar."Three awkward young mountaineers entered."These fellers air goin'to help ye."They were to be his ushers.Clayton shook hands with them gravely.

Oh,we air about ready fer ye,'n'we air only waitin'fer Sherd and the folks to come,"continued the mountaineer,jubilantly,winking significantly at Clayton and his attendants,who stood about him at the fireplace.Clayton shook his head firmly,but the rest followed Hicks,who turned at the door and repeated the invitation with a frowning face.Clayton was left the focus of feminine eyes,whose unwavering directness kept his own gaze on the floor.People began to come in rapidly,most of whom he had never seen before.

The room was filled,save for a space about him.Every one gave him a look of curiosity that made him feel like some strange animal on exhibition.Once more he tried to escape to the porch,and again he was met by Easter's father,who this time was accompanied by Raines.

The young circuit-rider was smoothly shaven,and dressed in dark clothes,and his calm face and simple but impressive manner seemed at once to alter the atmosphere of the room.He grasped Clayton's hand warmly,and without a trace of self-consciousness.

The room had grown instantly quiet,and Raines began to share the curious interest that Clayton had caused;for the young mountaineer's sermon had provoked discussion far and wide,and,moreover,the peculiar relations of the two toward Easter were known and rudely appreciated.Hicks was subdued into quiet respect,and tried to conceal his incipient intoxication.The effort did not last long.When the two fiddlers came,he led them in with a defiant air,and placed them in the corner,bustling about officiously but without looking at Raines,whose face began to cloud.

Well,we're all hyar,I reckon!"he exclaimed,in his terrible voice.

"Is Easter ready?"he shouted up the steps.

同类推荐
  • 七佛父母姓字经

    七佛父母姓字经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 清净观世音普贤陀罗尼经

    清净观世音普贤陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • On Interpretation

    On Interpretation

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 省愆集

    省愆集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 诸真论还丹诀

    诸真论还丹诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 伊索寓言(中小学生必读丛书)

    伊索寓言(中小学生必读丛书)

    伊索被誉为“希腊寓言之父”,“西方寓言的开山鼻祖”。伊索寓言是世界上最古老、影响最大的寓言,由于形象生动、寓意深刻、富于哲理,在全世界流传两千五百余年而经久不衰。阅读伊索寓言使人趋向聪明、理智、豁达、沉稳。《伊索寓言》启迪着我们的心智,呵护着我们的心灵,陶冶着我们的情操。对广大读者的人生观、价值观以及人格、修养、心态、志趣、能力等方面有着这样和那样深远的影响和熏陶。
  • 穿越者自救指南

    穿越者自救指南

    本应死去的姜岚再次睁开眼睛,发现自己来到了一个全新的世界,成为了一名普通高中生。这是一个非常规穿越者自我放逐与救赎的故事。
  • 爱你泪流成河

    爱你泪流成河

    三年前新婚夜,她醒来就发现自己在一个下人房间里,公公被气的急性脑出血成了植物人,下人咬舌自尽。从此,开始了长达三年的非人生活。她以为只要自己做的够好,一定会让他们看到她的诚心,只要她做得够好,就会以心换心,获得原谅。直到丈夫带着小三登堂入室,直到......后来才明白,原来,恨早已深入骨髓。
  • 斗罗星起源

    斗罗星起源

    斗罗星,亿载岁月无尽传说,武魂之法甚至传至外界,其中走出几代神话,可谓一颗神奇之星,而其源来倒底是什么?武魂的由来又是什么?终是无人可知,无人可晓。曾记否,一名命运男子,只为拯救世界而生;一位血气修罗,战遍世间,斩断无尽邪恶,发扬武魂之道。一代代英雄佳话可歌可泣,斗罗星诞生的传说,此刻拉开序幕!
  • 魔证

    魔证

    三千大道皆云溟,渺渺烟波逐剑行;问天问道问世心,证魔证仙证己心。
  • 大哥,你好吗

    大哥,你好吗

    我绝对没有意思加入流行音乐迷的行列,没心没肺或者虚情假意地哼唱那首被甘萍首唱、现在已经广为人知的俗而又俗的同名歌曲。我是在千里之外,满怀深情,向着我那同父异母的大哥,致以衷心的问候……我从来没有去过老家。我的出生地以及现在居住的都市,都与那个被称之为老家的地方相去甚远。我只知道我的老家在湖北一个名叫天镇的小地方,那里民风剽悍,水网纵横……老家对我的全部意义,就在于生我养我的父亲是从那里走来;老家对我的全部价值,似乎就是回答那些总也填不完的表格上“籍贯”两字下边的空白。现在,头一声令下,于是,我准备出差顺道去一趟老家。
  • 槐树槐

    槐树槐

    那当然是十分久远的事情了,那时候,光绪年间的风,忽撩忽撩地吹动着中国男人的猪尾巴似的恶心辫子。有一天,一个年轻的赶车人在路边喊:“哎——!老李家!”我的一个祖先便在田畔上拄着锄头应声了:“听见了!你说,什么事?”赶车人说:“我二舅叫我问你们一声,明儿个能不能把你们的骡子借用一下?”我的祖先便慷慨应承:“行!叫你二舅明儿一早就来拉吧!”这一幅情景,现在自是已然变得极为模糊了,有如一张早已发黄了的斑斑驳驳的照片,被珍贵地藏在包了两三层印花布的小木匣里边。
  • 就是惹定你了

    就是惹定你了

    因打架被学校开除的韩湘希,无奈转到另一所贵族学校,性格暴躁且又嚣张的她立刻引来某帅男生的兴趣,某帅总是有意无意的来招惹她!不过,她可不是好惹的:本小姐既不是淑女更加不是花痴,就算是帅到流鼻血的男生,她也照打!
  • 30几岁男人的活法

    30几岁男人的活法

    30几岁的时候,你必须哪些问题?30几岁的时候,你该为自己的人生做好怎样的准备?30几岁的时候,你应该选择怎样的人生方向?30几岁的时候,你应该对自己的工作,生活,人生做出怎样的规划?30几岁的时候,你渴望过上一种什么样的生活?每个人都应该为自己的人生负责。
  • 兔子彼得和他的朋友

    兔子彼得和他的朋友

    在世界儿童文学长廊里,活跃着一只古老而又年轻、顽皮而又惹人喜爱的兔子--彼得。1902年,他以在花园里狼狈逃窜、丢掉了蓝上衣的形象首次亮相,随后,他和他的伙伴们便一个接一个地以不可抗拒的魔力闯进了数以千万计孩子的童年生活。淘气而又胆小怕事的兔子彼得,不知天高地厚的松鼠特纳金,不谙世事而却又颇有主张的水鸭杰迈玛,勤劳的刺猬提吉o温克夫人,爱搞破坏的小老鼠露辛达和简……他们可爱、调皮、爱犯懒,时不时有点小脾气。书中的画面将孩子们的日常世界与幻想世界结合到一起,字里行间洋溢着友情和爱心的温馨。